Elandilli's Story
by Kristall
Summary: Elandilli is a half elf, daughter of Elrohir and Miriel. This is the story of her growing up years. WARNING: Elves will not always behave how they are in the books. If you don't like them having human faults, don't read. COMPLETE!
1. Chapter 1

Elandili's Story

by: Kristall

Author's Note: I wrote this about five years ago, after the first LOTR movie came out. This was written as a prequel to another fanfic I wrote, but I have chosen to post the fics in storyline chronological order. UPDATE: Six years after writing this, I decided to repost it as a new story. I am not changing any plot lines, it is simply that it has been long enough I'd rather repost the whole thing, rather than force everyone to reread and catch up.

Disclaimer: Ok, I don't own anything that J.R.R. Tolkien came up with. I have only borrowed them to tell this story, but Elandili and Miriel are mine. This story starts in the spring, 1508 years before the Fellowship set out from Rivendell. (I'm a perfectionist when it comes to dates for this kinda thing.) Hope y'all enjoy the story.

Chapter 1: The Half-Elf

Elrohir was looking out the window. He could hear the cries of his child, and wondered how he had gotten into this mess. He had only stopped by the mother's house a year ago, and then he had gotten a message begging him to come. He had come, just in time to witness the birth of his child. He sighed, and turning from the window, got his first good look at the child.

Elrohir smiled. She was such a tiny thing, only a few hours old, but she was already trying to crawl around, and crying because she couldn't. He went over and stroked her head. The crying stopped instantly, and he let her grip his finger. She was content to do that for a while, and then she wriggled back to her mother and started feeding.

"I am sorry if I called you away at a bad time, but I wanted you to be here, Elrohir.", said Miriel. She had been named after the daughter of Palantir, the second to last king of the Numenoreans. In fact, Miriel was of the race of Numenor, but her blood was so mingled that it was hard to tell that she had come from a proud line before its fall. Still, she had the strength, but it had been sadly taxed by the birth.

Elrohir shook his head and smiled, reassuring Miriel. "No, it was not an awkward summons. I was mostly wandering around, and I greeted this as a chance to get out on my own. What will we call her?", he added, gesturing to the child who was still suckling.

"Elandili. That is what she is anyway, a half-Elf."

"That's a good name." Elrohir looked out of the window again, and grimaced. "I have something I need to take care of real quick. I'll be back in a few minutes." Miriel nodded, and felt Elandili stop feeding. She looked down and smiled at her daughter. She then slid out of bed and pulled on a soft robe, suppressing a cough as she did so.

Elrohir went to greet his brother and father, grinning. They could tell that something was up, and he was going to enjoy this. It was about time that they met Miriel, who also knew some Elvish. He stood in the courtyard, and waited for them to dismount. "All right, Elrohir, what are you grinning about this time? Last time it was a joke you played on me, and I am hoping that it's not the same this time." Elladan was annoyed that Elrohir was in such a good mood, especially since he had left during the middle of an important meeting, just to come to Gondor. Elrohir had better have a good excuse this time.

Elrohir ignored his brother and bowed to his father. "I am sorry if my sudden departure caused any trouble, but there are two people I need to introduce you to. Elladan, you might as well come along. Follow me." He led the two into the house, to find that Miriel had gotten dressed and was now sitting in a chair. She looked up in fright as the two others came in. She looked at them and shifted her gaze to Elrohir who looked at her.

"Miriel, I would like to introduce you to Elrond, my father, and Elladan, my twin brother. My lords, I'd like you to meet Miriel, daughter of the Numenoreans, and the mother of Elandili, who was just born today."

"I am pleased to meet you, Miriel.", said Elrond. "We come from Rivendell, that is Imladris in your tongue. Elrohir, you haven't mentioned the child's father. Where is he?"

"You're looking at him.", said Miriel in a dry voice before Elrohir could say anything. Elrohir shot her a look of false fury and she smiled at him. Elrond and Elladan were laughing, and they congratulated the two on the birth.

"Miriel, I want you to know that you will always be welcome in Rivendell. You may come and go as you please, and so may your daughter." Miriel smiled at him and thanked him in the elvish tongue, which brought smiles to all of the elves. At that moment, Elandili sneezed and opened her eyes. She looked at the newcomers, and held her hands out to them. They played with the baby a while, and then they had to go. Elrohir said goodbye to Miriel, and watched her as she stood in the doorway, waving.

Elandili was now three years old, and yet she spoke as if she were in her teens. Elrohir had visited as often as he could, and Elandili liked it when he came. He was riding in now, and Elandili had spotted him before her mother, proving that she had elvish sight. Elandili's hair was dark brown, almost black. Her ears were pointed a little, but they would get even more pointed as she grew. She was also very tall for her age, and could now ride a pony at a gallop without falling off, showing that she had the same way with animals as her father. But she didn't know a word of Elvish, save for "hello", "goodbye", and "friend".

Elrohir had asked if they could all go to Minas Anor, and Miriel had agreed to come along, bringing Elandili. It was about time that Elandili learned about the world, and she would love Minas Anor. It took them a few days to get there, and Elandili had insisted on riding her own pony without help. Elrohir said that she would make a fine rider when she grew up.

They got to Minas Anor on the fifth day, and at that time, there were no people about. They were all eating the noon meal. Elrohir took them to the biggest house, which would be replaced by the White Tower eventually. Elandili was allowed to wander around, and she enchanted the older children of the house. They were soon playing, and Elandili learned a new game, hoop ball (kinda like basketball). She had a pretty good time, and the others admired her pointed ears. Elandili wondered at that, until the others explained that they didn't have them. Then all of them shrugged and dashed out to play hide and seek.

It was the next morning when Elandili left with her parents. She promised that she would come back sometime, and her mother laughed. Then, they went back to Gondor. Miriel was quiet most of the way back, and she coughed every now and then. Her cough had come back when Elandili had turned three, six weeks ago, and it was only now fading. Miriel knew that she had to take her daughter to Rivendell soon, for it would not be long until her death. The birth had been difficult, and she had never really recovered. She just didn't have her old strength anymore.


	2. Chapter 2

Elandili's Story

by: Kristall

Disclaimer: I do not own anything that Tolkien came up with. The only things that are mine are Elandili and Miriel.

Chapter 2: A New Home

Elandili was drawing in the sand when her mother came. Elandili looked up, and saw that her mother was tired. She refrained from mentioning this to her mother, as well as the fact that she would be four in two weeks. Miriel smiled at her daughter. "How would you like to come with me to Rivendell today?" Elandili jumped up, excited.

"I'd love to! When are we goin'? Should I pack?" Miriel told her to go pack quickly, and handed two saddle bags to her to get as much as she could.

"We will be gone a long time, so get all of your treasures together and as many clothes as you can. Elandili nodded and dashed off. Miriel sighed. She hoped that she could make it to Rivendell. Elandili would die if she couldn't, and she was not sure if she could stand the journey. She went to pack her own bags, suppressing a cough. It was hard, and she couldn't do it. She quickly slipped into her room, and she gave way to the coughing fit that wracked her body.

Miriel got up a few minutes later, and packed her few belongings. Elandili was out saddling the horses, and she smiled at how responsible her daughter was at only three. Miriel attached the saddle bags, and they slowly started off. They made good time the first few days, but as they got closer to Rivendell, the pace slackened off. Elandili could tell that something was wrong, for they had been traveling for nearly two weeks.

They had set up camp, and were roasting some meat when someone rode up. Miriel tried to protect her daughter, but Elandili pushed ahead of her, trying to get a good look at the rider. It was an Elf, and he looked familiar. A stray memory crossed her mind, an Elf lord smiling at her as she lay in her mother's arms. She smiled at the rider in recognition. "Whatchya doin' out here, Elrond?", she asked. She hadn't seen him since the day of her birth, but she had the clear memory of the Elves, and she could remember the day of her birth, and what she had done in her life quite clearly. But now she waited for an answer.

"I have been looking for you two. Glorfindel said that he saw you a few days ago, and I came to find out what you needed. Is every thing all right, my lady?"

Miriel shook her head, but Elandili didn't see. "When we get to Rivendell, I will tell you everything. Elandili should not be there.", she said quietly. Elrond nodded and he offered to let her ride with him. She gratefully accepted, and Elandili took the reins of her mother's horse, tying them to her saddle. Elrond watched, and he was pleased that the child knew how to deal with horses, at least. He led the way, and his amazement grew as Elandili followed him. It was as if she had been riding for several years, much longer than she had been alive. He said nothing though. He could tell that Miriel was starting to become frail, and she would not have lasted the full journey on her own.

0o0o0

They reached Rivendell the next day, and Elandili was excited. She kept on plunging ahead and coming back, and she hummed to herself a lot. Elrond smiled, for he knew why she was so excited. It was Elandili's fourth birthday, and she was coming to Rivendell for the first time. It would be enough to excite any child, until they reached full maturity. They came around the bend, and Elandili stopped short at her first sight of Rivendell. The wonder on her face was enchanting, and Elrond knew that she was stunned at the beauty of the view. He nudged her arm, and she grinned at him and got the horses moving.

They got to the buildings about half an hour later. Elandili managed a creditable dismounting, but she fell on her knees. She got up without any help, and looked around. There were a lot of people she didn't know, and she didn't know if she should be scared or not. But then she saw her father and decided not to be scared. She ran through the crowd and hugged her father around the knees. He smiled down at her, and picked her up. "Happy Birthday, Elandili! I've got something for you in the house. Want to see it?"

Elandili nodded happily and struggled to get down. She was set down, and she followed her father, trotting to keep up with him. They went inside and turned around the corner. They went down the hall, and Elrohir stopped in front of a door. Opening it, he went to the other side and turned around, holding a wrapped package. He held it out to Elandili, who eagerly took it, and she thanked him.

Elandili sat down on the floor, and she tore open the wrapping. Inside there was a book. She flipped through it, and saw the pictures. Underneath the pictures were words in the common tongue, and also in a flowing script. She couldn't think of anything to say, so she got up and hugged her father. He smiled at her again, and showed her the colors that he had, so that she could color the pictures.

Elandili exclaimed with delight. But then she remembered the flowing script. "Father, what's this?", she asked, pointing to the Elvish words. "They're really pretty, but I don't remember them."

"Elandili, that is Elvish. When you know the sounds the letters make, you'll be able to read the words in Elvish."

"Do I have to learn how to say them? I know the words already. Why do I need to learn Elvish?"

"Because most of the elves here speak only Elvish. You must be able to understand them, otherwise, you'll never know if someone wants to take you for a walk or if they're offering you a treat." Elandili perked up at that, and ran to find her mother so that she could show off her new book.


	3. Chapter 3

Elandili's Story

by: Kristall

A/N: The Elite Elves of Rivendell, Elandili, and Marstin are the only things that are mine. Rivendell and everything else belong to Tolkein.

Chapter 3: Farewell

Miriel coughed again. She felt so ill, and she couldn't get out of bed. Elrohir and Elandili were almost constantly by her side, Elandili usually showing off her Elvish, which was getting better every day. Elrond had done what he could, but even he had no power over this. She was too weak to fight off the cough that had plagued her since the start of fall. She was very weak, and now it was winter. Elandili would be turning five next spring, and Miriel desperately hoped that she could make it to spring. But she wasn't sure. She turned on her side, and tried to get to sleep. But her condition wouldn't let her, and when she finally fell asleep, she tossed and turned on the bed.

Elandili was woken up by her father as the sun was rising. He told her to come with him, and led the way to Miriel's room. She paused on the threshold, and then ran to her mother's bed. She took one hand, noticing that her father held the other. Miriel smiled sadly at her daughter. "I love you, Elandili. Your father will watch over you now, my turn is over. I want you to be brave, and listen to your father. Ok?"

"I will, mother. But you're going to get better, aren't you?"

Miriel shook her head. "I'm too sick to get better. I just want you to be happy, as we were before. I know you'll miss me, but you will get over it. I love you."

"I love you too, mother." Miriel smiled and gave a sigh. Her eyes closed, and she was gone. Elandili burst into tears and clung to her mother's body. It couldn't be true, it just couldn't. But it was, and it wouldn't change. She felt her father pulling her away from her mother. She turned and saw that he was also crying. She held out her arms, and he pulled her into his embrace. He held her close, comforting her and giving her a place to cry without shame.

After a few minutes, Elandili wanted down. She ran out of the room and disappeared down the hallway. She ran outside, and ducked into the trees. She followed a hidden path to her favorite place to be alone. There, she burst into tears again. She stayed there till dark, and then crept back to the house. She was welcomed, but she didn't want any sympathy. She wanted to be alone.

Elandili spotted Arwen and ran to her. "Could I just eat in my room tonight? I don't really want to be with anyone right now." Arwen nodded her understanding, and said that she would order Elandili's supper to be sent to her room. Elandili gratefully slipped to her room, and she sat down and waited for her supper. It arrived, and a minute later she looked down the hall to see if anyone was there. No one was in sight. Elandili grabbed her book, colors, and supper. She went to the room where her mother's body was, and she ate her supper there. She then got out her book, and started to color. She talked to her mother's spirit, telling her what she was doing, and what the names of the things she was coloring in were.

She went to her mother's side after a while, and she looked at her mother. She memorized her mother's looks while she drew them in the back of her book, which was empty. Then she curled up beside Miriel's body. The tears started to flow again, and she cried herself to sleep. She was still curled up on the bed when Elrond and Elrohir found her.

"She must miss her mother indeed, if she sleeps next to her mother like this.", said Elrond. Elrohir nodded, and lifted Elandili in his arms. He went out and put Elandili down on his bed. He lay down beside Elandili, and he fell asleep at last.

0o0o0

Elandili was ten, but still she was quiet, and those who saw her could still see the grief that she had borne since her mother died. Elandili had never really gotten over her mother's death, and this surprised Elrohir. It also worried him. It was at this time that Mithrandir first met Elandili.

Elandili was perched on a low wall in the gardens looking at the valley, and ignoring the fact that if she leaned any further left, she would wind up in the river instead of on the wall. Mithrandir was walking through the gardens with Elrohir when he caught sight of her. She seemed to give off an aura of sadness, and he asked Elrohir what was wrong.

"She is still grieving for her mother, even though her mother died six years ago. I have tried everything, but I can not lift the sorrow from her."

"She is your daughter, then?"

"Yes, she is. Could you try to help her?"

Mithrandir smiled at Elrohir. "I can try. But what results I will get, I do not know. Wait, and be patient." He went over to Elandili, and sat down beside her. She looked up, and in her surprise actually fell off the wall on the river side. But she grabbed the wall with one hand, and after a few anxious moments, climbed back onto the wall. She gave a half smile to the stranger and sat down again.

"Who are you?", she asked. "My name's Elandili, and I'm the daughter of Elrohir. Where do you live, and how long are you staying?"

Mithrandir laughed kindly and smiled. "Well, for starters, my name among these folk is Mithrandir, and I am a Wizard. I don't have a real home, I just wander from place to place. As for how long I'll stay, that depends on when I choose to go." Elandili smiled at him, but the smile quickly faded. "Why the sad face? Do you still miss your mother? It is possible to be happy, even if you miss someone." Elandili looked at him, and he saw the question even before she asked if he could show her how to be happy.

They talked with her father, and it was obvious that Elandili was delighted at the chance to learn something new, something to help her get over the pain. She heard her father and Mithrandir talking, but she still felt lonely. She was only a girl, and there was no one her age to play with. She sighed, remembering the day that she had gone to Minas Anor, and there were all of those kids to play with. If only she could have playmate.


	4. Chapter 4

Elandili's Story

by: Kristall

A/N: If you think that I own LOTR, you're absolutely nuts. It belongs to J.R.R. Tolkien, and he's welcome to it. Hope you all enjoy this part.

Maria – Since there wasn't a reply link for you, I'm replying here. The last chapter ended in the year 1520 of the third age. The Fellowship of the Ring set out from Rivendell at the end of the year 3018 of the third age. Hope that clears things up, and that you enjoy this chapter!

Chapter 4: Training

"Ok, Elandili, let's see you do that again." Elandili sighed and she focused her attention on the rock again. She was trying to get it to lift and go through a hoop. She had done this already, but she had to repeat it to be sure it wasn't a fluke. It hadn't been, and as the rock sailed through the hoop, Mithrandir smiled at her. "I know that this may seem trivial, but it is the foundation. If you can't do the basics, you won't be able to do the more complicated enchantments."

Elandili nodded to show that she understood. She kept on concentrating, and she brought the rock back through the hoop. This surprised Mithrandir. She was further along than he had thought. She would soon be ready to learn how to use the enchantments for defense, and she had only been with him for five years. Sure it was a long time, but he knew that there were others who would study for fifteen years, and still be at a lower level than Elandili.

Elandili wanted to go ahead, but she would not rush ahead before she was ready. She was smart enough to know what could happen if she did. So she now knew the basics thoroughly enough that she could not make any mistakes, unless she wanted to, which she didn't. She sighed and picked up her bag. "Is that enough for today? I feel tired, and you said that we were going somewhere tomorrow."

"Yes, that is enough for today child. Get the rocks as well, you might want to practice along the way, and we won't be stopping except for lunch." Elandili smiled and got the rocks. Adding them to her pack, she realized that she didn't miss her mother quite as much. Mithrandir had been right. Keeping busy was a good cure for grief. She smiled, and all of a sudden, the world went dark, save for a dim light in the center. She sank to her knees, and started to speak in Elvish.

"They ride over the ridge, pursued by Orcs. There are two Elves and six Men. They ride to a lone hill, but the Orcs are gaining on them. The Orcs shoot arrows, and one of the Men fall, an arrow through his eye. The two Elves call out to the Man but he is dead. The next heir is Aragorn." Elandili blinked, and she looked up at Mithrandir, the fear evident in her eyes. Mithrandir calmed her, and asked if this had happened before. Elandili shook her head. "It was the first time. What was it?"

"I do not know, but from your description, it might have been a vision. But past, present, or future? That is what I'd like to know." Mithrandir frowned. "You said that Aragorn was the next heir. Do you know what he is the heir of?"

"No. I just know that there is a hidden line, and Aragorn is either the heir, or is going to be. I can't tell anymore than that."

"Well, we will find out. I think you saw the future, and we can only wait till it comes to find out what the riddle is." Elandili nodded and went to where she had set up her blankets. She fell asleep, but Mithrandir stayed up long into the night. He smoked his pipe for a while, and thought that he might want to take her to Isengard, where they would have some protection from the attacks of the rebels in Gondor. Isengard was heavily fortified, and no one lived there. It would be the perfect place for Elandili to start to learn the defensive spells.

0o0o0

They had been in Isengard for four years, and Elandili was now ready to start experimenting with making her own enchantments. She used rocks as tests, of course. She was murmuring to herself when Mithrandir came into the room. He couldn't tell what she was doing or saying, but then he saw her transform a rock into a miniature figure of a girl.

"That was well done. Who does the figure represent?"

"It's a figure of my mother, as I remember her from my childhood, before we left Gondor. She was strong before her fatal fever, and she was of the race of Numenor. But she lost more and more of her strength, until she could not fight her fever. I remember the good times, and the pain has faded for me. I love her."

Mithrandir nodded. Pain did eventually fade, but it sometimes took longer than usual. Elandili was still remembering some of the pain, but it was only a dull ache that would quickly fade. In time, she would probably forget her pain completely, or so he hoped. However, Mithrandir wondered if she would ever be whole again. She had learned to live with only half of herself, but she was lonely, because she didn't have a whole heart. Mithrandir had seen her before, as a child of three, playing happily with other children in Minas Anor. He wondered if she would ever be that happy again.

0o0o0

A year went by, and by now Elandili had learned to disguise herself as several beings. She had come up with the enchantments on her own, and if she was in one all she had to do to switch back to Elf was to quickly mutter: "Aniron Elandili". Then she would instantly go back to her true looks. Mithrandir was amazed at what she had learned in the ten years she had been with him.

Elandili wanted to go back to Rivendell. She missed her father and family. So Mithrandir told her to pack their things, and to have the horses saddled and ready to go in an hour. To his surprise, she was waiting for him when he came to the stables. They mounted their horses and rode from Isengard.

They traveled along the Misty Mountains for two weeks. Elandili knew the way, it was the same road that she and her mother had taken to get to Rivendell. Mithrandir was happy to let her be the guide. He was worried that they might run into trouble, but Elandili instinctively avoided the traps that the Orcs set for them. Mithrandir was pleased with her skill, and he wondered what she would end up as, because she would be very unhappy as a lady, even among the Elves.

0o0o0

Elandili was in her room when Arwen found her. Arwen looked at her niece, and sat down on the bed next to her. "So what will you do now? You've learned what Mithrandir could teach you, and I know that you like to see action. So what will you do to satisfy yourself?"

Elandili grinned at her. "I'll be an Elite. That ought to be a good challenge."

Arwen was not surprised at her choice, but she did not agree with Elandili. The Elites were highly select, and were only for warriors. Arwen pointed this out to Elandili, who laughed. "I know. Do you think I would be happy with just sitting around and sewing? No, that life is not for me. I have to do something, or else I will never be healed."

Arwen nodded. "You will have to work hard to be healed of your loss. But I do not think that fighting is the answer. You seem to have lost part of yourself. I think that you will only be healed when you are whole, when you have found your other half." Elandili nodded.

"I know. But until I am whole, I will never have peace."


	5. Chapter 5

Elandili's Story

by: Kristall

A/N: As I said before, I do not own LOTR. I just made up my own story for it. If I destroyed everyone, well then I'd be going over the edge, but I wouldn't do that anyway (Leggy's too cute). Also, to my wonderful reviewers, I am so glad that you are enjoying the story so much. I know I didn't do personal replies this time, but things got crazy the last few days. I hope that you continue to enjoy. For all my other readers, I'm glad that you are reading (and hopefully coming back for more!). Still, would you mind letting me know what you think? I love getting reviews! Enjoy!

Chapter 5: Destined for Glory

Mithrandir and Elrond were walking along the corridor when Elandili left her room. She turned towards them, and would have gone outside if Elrond had not stopped her. "Well Elandili, what do you want to do now? You have learned much from Mithrandir and I know that you will no longer be content to sit in the sun. What will you do, now that you have some training?"

Elandili looked him in the eye. "I want to start training to be an Elite Elf. I have learned too much to be a true Lady, and I want to be of some use. Perhaps I will even do you a great service."

Elrond sighed. This was not going to be pretty. "I know that your heart is torn. But would you really go as far as to seek to fill a man's place? It is not the way of any lady, no matter how unladylike she is."

"I know, but I will not be daunted by taking a "man's place," as you put it. I already know some of the things that Elites need to know, and I don't want anything less. I want to take my place, and my heart says that I belong with the warriors."

Elrond nodded. "There will be resistance until you get a trainer, but I think I know someone who would be willing to take you as an apprentice. Come with me and you as well, Mithrandir."

They nodded and followed Elrond to the training arena. Elrond motioned for them to wait outside, and he soon came back with an Elf named Marstin. "I would like to know if your willing to take Elandili as your apprentice.", he said.

Marstin looked at Elandili. She looked back, showing no fear or lack of attentiveness. "Ever held a sword or shot an arrow, girl?", he asked. Elandili shook her head, but she didn't lose any of her confidence. Marstin snorted and turned to Elrond. "Let me take her out for a week.", he said. "If she shows enough promise, I'll take her as my apprentice." Elrond inclined his head, and Marstin looked at Elandili again. "I think we had better find some weapons for you until you make your own. Come with me, the weapons are stored over here."

0o0o0

They came back a week later, and to Elrond's surprise, Elandili wasn't even tired. He remembered what his trial week had been like well enough, and he had slept for days afterward. Elandili flashed him a grin as she saw the look on his face. She went in, and then there was a loud crash. Elrond and several other Elves came running, to find Elandili on her knees. Her eyes were wide open, but she couldn't see any of them, and she was talking in Elvish, which she had never done since she was four.

Elrond watched her, and as he listened to her words, he grew more concerned. Elandili went on, unaware of the crowd around her. "A plague devastates Gondor. The people are lean, everywhere. They are hungry, starving. Many die, and still there is no food for those alive. The plague spreads north and west, the king and his family are dead. The little ones suffer, but they survive. The plague will take thousands before it is satisfied, before the end."

Elandili gasped and fell to the ground. This was the longest she had been gripped by a vision, and she was only dimly aware of the Elves around her. One Elf bent over her, and she fell in a faint. Elrohir picked up his daughter, and the Elves cleared out of his way. He carried Elandili to his room, and laid her on the bed. She hardly stirred at first, but as he started to leave, he heard her thrash about on the bed. He was at her side instantly, trying to calm her.

Elandili cried out for her mother, and someone else, but Elrohir didn't know who. She just kept calling for "her love". Then Elrohir got it. She was calling for the one who could heal her spirit, the one who could make her whole again. He grinned. Elandili would never ask aloud for someone to love. His smile faded. If she didn't ask, she would never find her heart's desire. She was too proud to ask for what she needed. Finally, Elrohir left the room.

0o0o0

Elandili woke up that afternoon. She looked around, and smiled. Her father must have been the Elf bending over her, and he had obviously been worried enough to take her to where he could keep an eye on her. The gesture touched her. She got up, and realized that it was supper time. She was hungry, so she went to the dining room. Everyone else was eating, but she took a space at one of the higher tables that had been saved for her.

Elandili smiled at the men who were there, and soon they were taking turns telling Elandili what training had been like for them. She ate with a good appetite, and later when to the Hall of Fire, where there was much singing. Elandili sang a few songs herself, and everyone was stunned at the quality of her voice, as the fact that she would sing in Elvish as well as the Common Tongue. It was nearly morning before the singing stopped.

Marstin made his report to Elrond the next day. "Elandili was very good at obeying my orders, and she did well with a sword, on the first try." Marstin dropped to a whisper. "She is going to be one of the best, if not the best, Elites. She was born a fighter, and she told me that she had been riding since she was three. She's destined to be great, but how great will depend on her. I'd be honored to have her as my apprentice."

Elrond nodded his approval. "That is why I brought her to you. You are the only trainer that both Elrohir and I would trust to train Elandili. She is your responsibility now, and I would like to have progress reports every now and then. You may go now, if that is all." Marstin bowed and left the room. he hoped that the others wouldn't object too much. For now, he had to go to Glorfindel.

0o0o0

Glorfindel looked at Marstin. "I know that Elandili is a natural at fighting, but she must show that she can take pressure. The training would normally create enough pressure, but for Elandili I judge that it will not affect her. Do you have any suggestions?"

Marstin nodded. "I will make sure that I will be strict with her, and I will not take failure lightly after a few weeks. If you want to use the Elites to put pressure on her as well, that should be enough."

Glorfindel smiled grimly. "Yes, it should be enough. But the pressure from the Elites should not get out of hand. I will certainly watch what goes on, and if she shows any sign of hurt or pain, I will stop it immediately." Marstin nodded and left the room. Elandili should be in the arena, waiting for him. Sure enough, she was, ignoring the puzzled looks tossed in her direction. Marstin came, and they started to train together.


	6. Chapter 6

Elandili's Story

by: Kristall

A/N: I do not own LOTR, nor do I want to. (Drimrill is mine, named after Drimrill Dale on the maps of Middle-Earth.) But if I could ever be a part of LOTR, I'd jump for the chance. That's why I'm writing this. Enjoy.

Chapter 6: The Elites

Elandili sensed that she was being followed. She turned suddenly, cutting her forward motion as she did so. The Elite who was behind her had to sidestep quickly to avoid literally running into her. She smiled with satisfaction, and she looked at the Elf. His face didn't bring his name to her mind, so she decided to find out. "Who are you?", she asked in Elvish.

"My name is Drimrill, and I have a question for you."

"Shoot."

"What made you even consider asking to be an Elite? It is only a place for men, not for little Elf-girls. You should be sitting in the garden sewing, or seeing what you will wear for supper, not trying to learn to handle a sword."

He was amazed at her reaction. Drimrill never even saw her hand move, but he felt the sting of her slap. He stared at her, and saw the fire of pain in her eyes. "I have never let anyone stop me from doing what I want to do.", she said in a voice as cold as ice. "I will not be deterred from my choice, for if I am lucky, I will be able to join my mother one day, no matter where she is. I have no hope in life, only hope in death." With that she turned and walked down the hall.

Drimrill ran to find Elandili's father. Elrohir was in his room, and Drimrill politely knocked. One did not barge into a First's room at all, unless the matter was grave and one was also a First. He was allowed in, and Drimrill told Elrohir what Elandili had said. Elrohir sat down on a chair and bowed his head. "I feared that she would not be healed, even though she has been hurt for sixteen years. You are sure she said this?"

"Yes, my Lord. She not only said those very words, but she had a strange look on her face. It was as if she was about to go to war, and she hoped that she would die. I came right away to tell you, but Elandili was headed for the trees."

Elrohir looked at him in alarm. "We must find her. Come with me, two sets of eyes will see better than one."

"Yes my lord." Drimrill followed Elrohir, and they soon found Elandili at her childhood hideout. She had a finely sketched picture in her hand, a picture she had drawn herself. It was her mother, as Elandili had remembered her from life. Elrohir watched, and soon he crept away, not wanting to disturb Elandili.

0o0o0

The Elites had been resistant indeed to Elandili becoming a member of their rank. Elandili got tired of the taunts and threats; she ignored them completely. But if one of the Elites pushed her too far, she would instantly react with a slap, if the guy was lucky. If he wasn't and she was in a bad mood, well the poor guy would end up with a broken arm at least.

Elves are very dangerous when angry, and Elandili not only had the basic danger in every Elf, she also had instinctive abilities that put her on a level with the Elites instantly. She was also able to put those two together, and the result could be deadly, even though she had no training. Once she had learned the control and discipline to make the most of her bare resources, she wouldn't have to worry about being attacked by Orcs. She would just simply take out about fifty with arrows, and another twenty with her bare hands, if it ever came to that.

0o0o0

One day she was walking down the corridor when Drimrill came up. He was the only one who had not decided that she would never be a good friend. But he still tried to get her to leave the Elite training, before it was too late for her to do so. "Elandili, why are you still in training? I have seen you fight against the dummies, especially when Mithrandir makes them move. Do you long for death so much that you would actively seek it out?"

Elandili sighed and shook her head. "I do not actively seek death Drimrill, but if death decided to court me, I would not refuse." Drimrill looked at her. She had been training for one hundred years, in the time of Men, and she was almost ready to take the trails. All she needed to do now was to create a sound sword that would not break when she tried it. She hurried to the smithy, but a tear was creeping down her cheek.

She stood in the doorway of the smithy, and took a moment to gather her wits. Unfortunately, her wits seemed to be taking a vacation. She ran out of the back door of the smithy, and soon disappeared in the forest, headed for the mountains.

She was nearly at the foot of the first mountain when she heard a strange noise. She had run for two days, stopping at night to rest, and she expected to see someone coming to take her back. But no, it wasn't that, and when she saw what it was, she took off running again. Orcs were following her, and she just ran for the mountain, where she would have a chance. She ran south, and her heart was pounding, but the Orcs were gaining on her.

Elandili dived into a river, and swam across. The Orcs were mad, but then an arrow shot out from the bushes at the Orcs, and several more followed. The Orcs ran, they did not want to get shot, and dawn was coming. Elandili looked up, and saw an Elf standing before her. He gestured, not taking his eyes away from her, and another Elf came out from the bushes.

"What do you have there, Legolas? One of the race of Men?"

"Nay, she is an Elf, and if I read the signs right, she comes from Rivendell, and she is very young. But why is she so far from Rivendell?" He looked at Elandili. "Feel free to enter the conversation at anytime.", he said. Elandili looked at him with a hint of anger, and turned away. Legolas and his friend looked at her in surprise, and nodded. But before they could start throwing rocks at her, she turned to face them.

"I am sorry to have disturbed you, but I need your help. I am Elandili, and as you said Legolas, I come from Rivendell. But I am lost, and I can not find my way back alone."

Legolas grinned, while his friend looked smug. "Of course, my Lady. I would be glad to lead you back to Rivendell. But we should rest for a while, and then we can be on our way."

A/N: Just to clarify, a First is an Elf who has actually advanced to a higher level than that of Elite. They are literally the best of the best.


	7. Chapter 7

Elandili's Story

by: Kristall

A/N: I do not own anything except for this plot, Elandili and Legolas' friend. The rest belongs to Tolkien.

Chapter 7: Going Home

They had been traveling for several days, and Elandili went off to wash her hair. She used her enchantments to get it clean, and then to dry her hair. Then she headed back to the camp.

Elandili was walking along when she heard them. She groaned, but went on ahead. She was lost, and there was no chance of her going back to Rivendell alone. She stepped around a tree, and saw the two Elves, young men of course. They were both probably several thousand years old, and yet they still managed to act as if they were really ten years old, well maybe eleven. She sighed in disgust, but she went forward, and ducked as a rock came towards her head.

The Elves laughed and while they were doing so, she caught the rock behind her back and casually tossed it back. It hit one of them and rebounded to get the other one. She smiled in satisfaction. That would teach those two to stop throwing rocks at her anymore.

"Hey! What do you think you're doing?" It was Legolas. "You don't throw rocks at me without paying for it. You'll pay for this!" Oh great. She had thrown the rock at Legolas, and she knew that the best thing to do would be to get in a tree and run. Elandili was an expert at this, and she swung herself out of reach. She straightened and took off. Legolas did the same, but he went a bit faster. Elandili soon heard him closing the distance, and he caught her the next moment.

But she was smarter than that. Using the hold on her arm as leverage, she swung around and broke free. Before Legolas could grab her again, she had jumped to the ground...right in front of his friend, who pinned her to the ground. She hated this. They were the ones who started this whole thing, not her. It was going to be a long trip.

Elandili looked up as Legolas came to her. He was furious that she had managed to get back at them, and he would make her pay eventually. For now, he looked down at her, and he motioned for his friend to get up. Elandili refused his hand and got up on her own. But before she could move, Legolas gripped her arm and led her away. She saw the smug look on his friend's face, and knew that there might be dangers with just the two of them, and no one to keep them away.

Legolas forced her to sit against a tree, and he held her there, savoring that fear in her eyes. He wouldn't do anything drastic, but just enough to make her scared would be plenty. However, if she tried to fight, he couldn't guarantee what he'd do. He leaned forward and kissed her lips, reveling in the fear that made her shrink away. He drew out the kiss, and felt her hand straining to slap him.

Legolas pulled away, and grinned at her. She forgot about slapping him for the moment, and looked at him. She was so confused. He had awoken a feeling that she had never felt before, and it had seemed so right that he kiss her. But she fought him and her feelings, and managed to get free. But she couldn't move, and he smiled at her.

"That was to get back at you for the rock. Come with me, we shall reach Rivendell tomorrow." He turned to leave, but she didn't come. Just then a warg bounded up to her, and Legolas cried out a warning. But just as he did so, the warg reached Elandili, and it was then that she moved. She brought a fist up, slamming it hard into the beast's jaw. The warg yelped, and before it could react, she had punched him with her other fist in the side of the head.

The warg fell to the ground, but it had swiped at her before it was knocked out, and she fell to the ground as she tried to step on her sore leg. That made the leg even worse, and she felt a snap as her already fractured leg broke with the force of her step and fall. She cried out in pain, and Legolas was at her side in an instant.

He gently felt her leg to see how bad the damage was, and then scooped her up in her arms. She put an arm around his shoulders, and she was asleep before he had gotten to the camp. Legolas smiled at this. She was really pretty, and the relation to Elrond was unmistakable with her dark hair. Too bad she was so young, he would have possibly enjoyed having a short affair with her, if he could get away with it.

He got to the camp then, and put her down on her bedroll. Relieved of his burden, he went over to his friend and sat down. Legolas looked at the fire. The flames so resembled her eyes, and when she had taken out that warg, her eyes had burned with her rage, which had surprised him. Why had she been so angry? His friend looked at him and asked what had happened.

"We were about to come back when a warg attacked her. She smashed his jaw, and whipped around and got him on the side of his head before he could recover. He went out like a light, but he still managed to scrape her leg pretty bad. Then she took a step and fell, breaking her leg in the process."

"That's bad. The bone must have been under stress, and too much pressure was put on it to hold together. I've seen her favoring her right leg, and I bet that it just broke under the strain. Good thing we're close to Rivendell, otherwise we'd never get back."

Legolas nodded, looking over at Elandili. He still couldn't get over how good she was. She had been born an Elite, and that didn't happen to a lot of Elves. If she had only been a boy, she would have been the best Elite in the world, to judge by her little demonstration. He sighed, and fell asleep with his head resting against the log.

They got up the next morning, and Elandili insisted on riding. She refused to be carried on a litter, but she did not complain when Legolas said that she would ride in front of him. She settled in his arms, so that she could see without interfering with his ability to direct the horse. The horses took off, and they rode at a quick trot. The small group came to Rivendell at around midday, and Elrond himself came out to see who the visitors were.

Legolas jumped down, and lifted Elandili in his arms. He turned, and saw Elrond with his sons. Legolas stopped as one of the sons came forward and took Elandili from him. "I thank you for returning my daughter to us. We were very worried when she vanished, and we could not find her anywhere near the mountains. Where did you find her?"

Legolas bowed to the family. "My friend and I found her running from Orcs close to where the Bruinen joins the Mitheithel. She was just about to be caught when we fired on the Orcs and drove them away. She asked that we guide her to Rivendell, and we were almost here when a warg attacked us. She defeated the warg with two blows from her hands, and fell. We discovered that her right leg was broken, and we came here as soon as possible."

Elandili looked at Legolas, obviously amused that he hadn't told how they had treated each other. She approved of his tactics, and knew that it was a good thing that she had found him, even if he was a pain. Still, he knew how to play the gentleman, and she wondered who his father was.

A/N: Yes, I made Legolas a bit immature in this chapter. Deal with it. *grin* Let me know what you guys think, please!


	8. Chapter 8

Elandili's Story

by: Kristall

A/N: I hope that I don't go overboard with these disclaimers (a.k.a. A/N's). I hope you enjoy this chapter, and no, I don't own LOTR. Also, my apologies for the delay in updates, but I was out of town over the weekend. As a treat, I'm posting two chapters today! Enjoy!

Chapter 8: The Trials

The two Elves stayed for three days, and then they left. Elandili sighed. Legolas was nice, but she doubted that she would ever see him again. In the meantime, she had a broken leg to heal, and she concentrated on that. It was completely healed in six weeks, and she was eager to finish her training. She worked on her sword almost all the time now, and meals were brought to her so that she could eat when she felt like it.

Finally the sword she was working on was finished. Now she had one last weapon to create, and this would be the hardest to do. She had to make a dagger, with jewels embedded in the blade. She grinned to herself, for it would be easier with her enchantments to do this. She planned the dagger, and decided to use sapphire as the embedded jewel, shaped in the form of fire.

The blade was easy, and she had tools that allowed her to carve the grooves that would hold the jewels. She then formed a mold that would fit the finished dagger perfectly. She made the jewel molten, using her magic, and poured it into a hollow that would be covered by the handle. The molten jewel ran through the blade, and filled the grooves made to hold it in place. She finished that, and while the jewel hardened, she attached the handle to the top. She bound the handle with leather, and drew it from the mold.

She held her dagger aloft, marveling at the perfection of her work. The point of the blade was made of sapphire, and the two tongues of blue flame went up the blade from the point. She smiled to herself. Just wait until the others saw this beauty. She then remembered that she had to make a sheath, but that only took her a few minutes to shape and seal. She then stretched her back, and saw that there was some food. She sat down to eat, and took a short break to plan some more.

Elandili decided to make the sheath plain, but still with the decoration of a master craftsman. She fashioned a band that ran around the sheath, covered by Elvish words. The band was of dulled gold, and she filled the letters in with mithril. The words were a spell that would let only her draw the dagger. Then she came out to show Elrond, Marstin, and Elrohir her treasures.

Marstin was stunned at the perfection of the sword. It was her first blade, perfectly proportioned and the weight was evenly balanced. He tried it against a training block, and the blade neatly clove the wood in two. He smiled in satisfaction. Elandili either did her tasks perfectly the first time, or not at all. "Now let's see your dagger. The sheath is pretty, but I want to see and test the blade." Elandili handed over her dagger with a grin, and nearly burst out laughing when Marstin couldn't unsheathe the dagger.

"Read the writing, and then give it to me." Marstin read the words and chuckled as he handed the blade over. No wonder he hadn't been able to draw it. His laughter died down as she slowly drew the blade, and all three gasped in surprise at the beauty of the blade.

"This is incredible, Elandili. Here let me have the dagger again." Elandili gave Marstin the dagger, and he threw it into a block of wood. Drawing it out, he examined the blade for any flaws, and found none, not even on the tip. "My dear, I think that you will be ready for the trials soon."

Elrond sighed, and he spoke up. "Marstin, if she can craft weapons such as these on her first try, and if she has perfected her other skills, then she is more than ready for the trials." Marstin nodded and turned to Elandili. "I will let you know when the trials will take place. Go now and rest, for it must have been exhausting to craft the weapons." Elandili gave a slight bow to them all and left.

0o0o0

It was two months later when Marstin tapped her on the shoulder. Elandili turned and nodded politely at her trainer. "The trials will start tomorrow. Come to the arena at noon, and the first trial will begin." Just seventeen words, and he was gone leaving Elandili with her pride and joy. She would become an Elite, and she would show them all. The taunts she endured from the other Elites had become more frequent over the last two months, and she couldn't wait to get back at them.

She rose early the next morning, and had breakfast alone. She reveled in the solitude, and knew that she would be quite impatient to start her trials. She knew that her weapons would be taken to the arena, for the trials always started with the weapons being "stolen" and she would not be allowed to go near the arena until it was almost noon. The time passed more quickly than she had expected, and at ten to noon, she started for the arena.

She walked in the gardens, and was halfway through them when she was attacked. She fell into her self defense mode, but these Elves were too good. She did manage to throw a few punches that landed, but they didn't do any lasting harm. She broke away, and ran for it. The Elves were expecting her to make a move like this though. She had not taken twenty steps when an arrow caught her leg, causing her to fall. Another arrow followed, also catching her leg and ensuring that she could no longer stand to fight.

One of the Elves came and bound her wrists in front of her. Then he bandaged the wounds, adding a liquid that dulled the pain to the bandages. Then he bound her ankles and picked her up. He carried her to where their horses were and started to mount.

A shout came from the lookout, and Elandili was handed up to an Elf that looked very familiar. In her panic at being taken just as her trials were starting, she did not realize that it was Legolas holding her. Then the kidnappers rode out of the clearing and were soon beyond the pursuers. Elandili felt despair flood her, and she tried to move away, but Legolas stopped her.

"I know you must be scared, even if you won't admit it, but don't worry. I will see that you are safe." Elandili was silent, but she gave a mental response to his statement. _Can you keep me safe from yourself? If I remember correctly, you are also one of this group._ Elandili was tired, and the rhythm of the horse, as well as the strong arms around her, was reassuring. She was asleep long before the group halted for the night.


	9. Chapter 9

Elandili's Story

by: Kristall

A/N: If I could move to Middle-earth, I would gladly go in an instant (after I had packed of course). As it is, I must write and deal with my wishful thinking. *sighs* I do not own anything in this, save for Elandili. Enjoy!

Chapter 9: Mirkwood

They had been traveling for a week. Elandili's leg had healed, so they were more cautious with her. But she wouldn't have been able to get very far before the riders would have caught up with her, so Elandili didn't try to escape. There would be enough time for that later. For now, Elandili was content to keep an eye on her captors. She was furious that they had kept her from her trials, and she wanted to get back. Little did she know that this was a trial, created to test how well she could figure things out, and how good she was at escaping unarmed.

Elandili looked up as one of the group came over. It was the Elf that she rode with when they were traveling. She looked away, and there was a slight chuckle. "So you don't know who I am, huh? I think that if you did know, you would not be looking away. Don't you remember the warg that you took out in two blows, unarmed?"

"I do remember the warg, but if you are trying to…wait, how could you have known about that?"

"I was there, and carried you back to our camp in my arms, for you had broken your leg."

"Legolas? Is that you?" Legolas nodded, and he pulled her close. "I have never forgotten you. I was so amazed at the feat that I forgot to give my congratulations. But then you broke your leg, and it pushed all other thoughts out of my head."

"But what are you doing now? Why did you kidnap me?" Legolas grinned and shook his head in mock disappointment. "You should figure that out for yourself." They sat together, and the other Elves were soon asleep. Legolas kept watch, and somehow he managed to pull Elandili into his arms. Elandili resisted, but Legolas was stronger than her, and she was only playing.

He held her close, and she felt that feeling stir up again. She couldn't describe what it was, but something about him had a…well what was it? She felt whole and at peace. She looked at him in wonder, as she understood. If she could not have him, she would never be at peace, never be healed of the wound on her heart from her mother's death.

Legolas looked down at her, and pulled her even closer. He kissed her lips gently and smiled at her. She turned to face him, and fell into the half dream world of the Elves. Legolas grinned to himself. She was so loyal, once you won her trust. Legolas felt tired, so he got up and woke the next watchman. He went back to Elandili, and fell asleep as soon as he was settled.

0o0o0

They came to the Elven-king's halls ten days after they had set out from Rivendell. Elandili's hands were once again bound, but she was allowed to walk. She was brought to the King, but she stood proudly before him. She did not know what fate awaited her, but she would take it as a true Elite would. Elandili held her head high, and her eyes burned with a clear flame. The other Elves were astounded, for she looked like a queen of the Numenoreans. She showed no trace of fear, and she looked the King in his eye.

The two stared at each other for a long moment, but it was the King who looked away first. "Elandili, you have been brought here so that you may strive to further yourself. I bid you to walk freely around my halls, but if you set foot outside of them, my men will do everything in their power to bring you back. Do you understand?"

"Yes, my lord, I understand everything. I will not leave, unless it be to finish this trial." She looked over at Legolas, and grinned. "Then again, it may be hard for me to do so, for I fear one of your people holds me even more captive than the ropes around my wrists."

Her comment got a few laughs, and the King gestured for Legolas to cut her hands free. "I said that I would see to it that you were safe, but I didn't think that I'd have had to protect you from myself.", he murmured. Elandili grinned, but said nothing.

0o0o0

She stayed there for a month, forming a plan for how she would escape. She soon found a way. There was a window that looked out into the forest. That side of the mountain was dark at night, and it would be easy to slip away. She smiled at the thought. Who would expect her to go that way? Or maybe even an Orc? In fact, who would expect her to go as anything but an Elf?

She was looking out the window when Legolas found her. "Are you going to come to my chambers? Or do you want to be left alone for tonight?"

Elandili thought quickly, and told him that she would come to his chambers soon. "I just want to look at the stars alone for a minute, and then I will come." Legolas smiled and walked out.

Elandili grinned. She made sure that no one was coming or watching and started to mutter the words of the enchantment for the Orc she could become. It took only a few minutes, and the only thing that stayed the same was her eyes, which were a dark green. She climbed out of the window, but didn't know that Legolas had been watching. He was impressed at how cool she had been when getting him out of the room, but was startled to see her change into an Orc.

Legolas watched from the window as Elandili silently climbed down, and ran into the first set of hidden guards. She fought with them, and soon they were lying in crumpled heaps. He didn't wait to see more. He picked up his bow and arrows and climbed out after her. He caught up with her out in the forest, and saw that he wasn't alone.

Elrond, Elrohir, Elladan, and several other Elves were in the trees, and he called out for them not to shoot the Orc, but to keep their arrows aimed at it. Elandili looked at him, and she uttered a curse in the Orc tongue. "I know it's you, Elandili. Come on show yourself. I think that the trial is over." He said the last with a look at Elrond, who nodded.

Elandili quickly returned to herself, and she bowed to her family. "I have escaped from the halls of Mirkwood, and I believe that I have fulfilled the requirements of the trial. May I pass to the next trial?" Elrond told her that she would go on as soon as she got to Rivendell, and handed her the weapons she had created. Legolas asked to see them, and he was also stunned at the beauty of the dagger.

"If you don't mind, I would like to come to Rivendell to watch Elandili finish her trials. My father is agreeable, and I think Elandili would be happy to have me there." Elrond nodded, and he motioned for a horse to be brought. But they only had one spare horse, and that was for Elandili. The horse whinnied, and Legolas bowed to it. "Thank you Stardust. I am glad that you will bear both Elandili and me. He jumped lightly to the back of Stardust, and pulled Elandili up in front of him.

_There is something between those two,_ thought Elrohir. _I wonder what it is._ He knew that Elandili had some strange interests, but he didn't think that she would accept him as her love. Maybe they were just good friends. But that didn't explain the aura of peace around Elandili. She seemed more complete, and Elrohir knew that she had found "her love". This was not good, for Legolas would have to prove himself before he would be allowed to have her.


	10. Chapter 10

Elandili's Story

by: Kristall

A/N: Another chapter, and I hope that I haven't bored you guys. LOTR is not mine, but I can write about what I want to (I hope). Enjoy, and sorry for the long delay!

Chapter 10: The Next Trial

Elandili was feeling slightly nervous, but she ruthlessly fought down her fear. She would not lose because she was scared, and she would not fall for the Elf she was in front of. She would not admit it to herself, but she had already fallen for Legolas. She instead tried to convince herself that their respective stations in life were too different for them to be together. It was hopeless, and Elandili could not keep her thoughts away from his face, and especially his eyes which seemed to look into her soul sometimes.

She gave a sigh, and realized that they were at the brink of the valley of Rivendell. She smiled in excitement, and strained forward to see better. Legolas held her back, but she didn't heed him. He sighed, and remembered how excited he had been to face his own trials. He had been made an Elite just before the Last Alliance had formed.

They came to the house of Elrond, and Elandili jumped down. She was eager to go on of course, but for now she was even more eager to have a meal. The group went in to have lunch, and Elandili thought that the food had never tasted so delicious. Someone came up and tapped her sharply on her shoulder. She whirled around, and saw Marstin frowning at her.

"I told you to be at the arena by noon, but you never showed up. Where were you?" He almost pulled it off, but the slight smiled tugging at the corners of his mouth gave him away. Elandili grinned at him and said that she had been delayed by some handsome young rouges who had carried her off. Marstin laughed, and then gave her his approval for her escape. "But where did you learn to disguise yourself as an Orc?"

"You know I studied with Mithrandir, right? It was then that I learned to do the disguise, and I can also do several other races." Marstin nodded and said that she should come with him. "Your opponent awaits you." Elandili got up and walked out, checking her weapons as she went.

She was to fight one of the other Elites, and try to defeat him. She shuddered. Normally, the Elites were so good that the only way for the trainees to stop them was to kill them. She sighed, and decided to do whatever she could to hit but not kill her opponent.

She saw that she was to fight Drimrill. She knew that he didn't expect to live much longer, but he was not afraid. She liked that, it showed that the man was brave. It made her even more determined to defeat him without killing him. Also, if she didn't kill him, she would be considered to be a better fighter than she would if she just ran him through. If she could just block his attacks until he gave up, and was too weary to fight anymore, she would win the greatest victory.

They went to the center of the arena, and faced each other. They said good luck, and the referee announced that the fight was to begin. Elandili had a small half smile on her face, and in the next moment, Drimrill attacked. Elandili just blocked his blow, and whirled away. She did give a few thrusts that slipped past his guard, but none of them did much damage. Good.

They fought for over an hour, Elandili just blocking his blows, avoiding attacking him if at all possible, but posing enough threat to keep him fighting. She now no longer had to run or jump away from his blows, which were getting weaker. Finally, as she had known he would, he tried to lift his sword, and could not. He was too tired, and he fell to the ground on his knees.

She moved her sword slightly, so that it rested on his throat. He looked up, and saw that she was not doing this to kill him, only to show that the fight was over. _Had enough?_ He smiled and nodded his head in response to her unspoken question. She moved the sword away from his throat, and he slumped down. She sheathed her sword, and helped him up.

The crowds gave a loud but reluctant cheer. Elandili paid no attention as she soon was caring for Drimrill, helping him to recover his strength. He thanked her for her care, and he fell asleep in her supportive arms. Elrond, who had been watching the two, smiled and gestured for his sons to carry him away so that he could sleep in peace.

Legolas came up to Elandili, and he gave her a quick hug. She was startled into accepting his embrace, but then she pushed him away as she recovered. He looked hurt, but she gave him her "not now" look, and he understood. It wouldn't do for her father to find out, not until he had approached her father. They all went in, for Elandili was hungry, and the success of any trial required some sort of celebration.

Legolas went to his room later that night, and was surprised to see Elandili there. He started to exclaim out loud when she covered his lips with her fingers. "I was wondering where you were. Could you come with me? I have a place I'd like to show you." Legolas nodded, and she took his hand. He was having a hard time keeping quiet, and he could only stare at her.

Elandili looked even prettier at night than she did during the day. The moon was shining on her hair, and he was very well aware of her lithe body and slender figure. She was so tempting, and he wished that he could have her. But he never would. Her station was too different for him, and he would have a hard time proving himself worthy of her.

She smiled as she turned to face him. It was then that Legolas realized that they had stopped, and he sat down across from her. "Now what was it that you wanted to say?" Legolas smiled at her, a smile that sent a shiver through her soul. He could not answer, except to pull her to him. She did not resist, and he was soon out of control, amazed that she would let him get away with this. They stayed there for a long time, and it was nearly dawn when they crept back to their rooms.


	11. Chapter 11

Elandili's Story

by: Kristall

A/N: If you think I own LOTR (which I don't) go jump off a cliff. Just joking. Enjoy.

Chapter 11: A New Elite

Elandili was about to go to another trial when she noticed that Elrond and Elrohir were talking earnestly with each other. They were talking about her; that was sure from the looks they were throwing in her direction. She got up to go, but Elrohir signaled her over. Elrond was looking annoyed, and Elrohir was looking as if he were ready to go take on an Orc fortress on his own. Translation: she was in big trouble. She sat down across from them, and Elrohir demanded to know where she had been last night.

"I was at my spot out in the woods, you know the one I go to when I feel lonely. Why do you want to know?" Unfortunately for her, she had a pretty good idea of why they wanted to know. Her guess was right.

"Both you and Legolas were out until it was almost dawn last night. Also, you were seen leaving together. What were you doing together, and why?" Elrohir now not only looked ready to take on that Orc fortress, he was ready to actually take it on for real. And maybe Legolas as well.

"Father, we were just talking." Which was true. Sort of. "He wanted to give his admiration and congratulations to me. We then got into a quiet argument over which one of us was the better shot with the arrow, and before we knew it, false dawn was coming, so we went to bed."

"And why did it take you so long? Did he perhaps force his argument with more than just words?" Elandili blushed, shook her head, and excused herself. She would be taking on a cave troll and she needed to get her weapons. She hurried away, glad for that excuse. She reported to the arena, and was told that she was only allowed one arrow and her bow, to test her strategy.

Elandili went out into the arena, and saw that it was filled. Then she saw the troll coming towards her. She ran for the troll, and she knew that she would have to kill the troll with one shot. She sighed and flung herself aside as the troll swung its club. She barely managed to avoid it two more times, and stood in front of it. That she was still not crushed enraged the troll so much that it roared, and Elandili saw her chance.

The arrow was drawn, loaded, and shot in the blink of an eye. It hit the troll through the mouth, going up at a sharp angle. It killed the troll instantly, and it fell forward to the ground. Elandili was exhausted, and though she tried to get out of the way, the troll's arm pinned her to the ground. She was knocked senseless, and they spectators thought that she was dead at first. But she lurched forward, trying to crawl out from under the arm.

Elrohir rushed forward, and he pulled the arm off of Elandili. She stood and thanked him, and then fell to the ground unconscious. Elrohir picked her up and carried her into the house. She moaned and stirred, but did not wake. She called for her love again, even begging for him.

Elrohir stayed for five minutes and then turned for the door when Elandili spoke more clearly. "Legolas, Legolas where…are…you?" Her voice faded away on the last word, and Elrohir felt his face harden. So she did feel something for Legolas. He would have to go talk to him.

Legolas was sitting in the hall when Elrohir found him, reading a book. He looked up and immediately put the book aside. "What is it Elrohir? And how is Elandili?" The second question was a mistake.

"What is the relationship between you and Elandili?"

Legolas sighed. Elrohir was playing the part of over-protective father beautifully, and unless Arwen came into the hall, he was as good as dead. "There is nothing between us. I do admit to an affection for her, but it is the affection of a good friend, not of a lover. As for what she feels, I have no clue."

Elrohir calmed down quite a bit at that. "She was asking, nay begging for you. Elandili has never been whole since her mother died at her side. She misses her mother still, and she has been searching for something to make her whole again. But until now, she did not find it."

"Elandili's mother died fighting to protect her? She must have been brave."

Elrohir knew that he had to tell the truth. "Elandili's mother was not even an Elf. She was of the race of Numenor, and she died when Elandili was four. Elandili has been torn in half ever since, but she learned to live with only half of her heart. But now she may have just found the other half, even if she won't admit it." Legolas nodded.

"So she is a half-Elf. That explains the really dark hair and her tendency to be a bit more aggressive. As well as her habit of not giving up. How old is she?"

"She is almost two hundred in the years of Men. But she would be considered as old as we are, and she has the immortality of the Elves." Legolas was astonished. Elandili only about two hundred, and if she passed her next, and last trial, she would already be an Elite.

"I thought one had to be one hundred to start training, and that it took five hundred times for the leaves to fall before they could even be considered old enough for the trials. And a girl at that!" Legolas was amazed. But then again, if she could take out a warg unarmed the way she had, she deserved to be an Elite even at this early age.

0o0o0

The next day was set for Elandili's final trial. For this, she would have to show her endurance, strength, and concentration to get through the obstacle course. She had laughed when she heard what the last challenge was, and she didn't lose her smile as she saw the dangerous course. "This is going to be so easy.", she said, and went to the entrance of the course. There were dummies that would attack her when she reached them, and several other things that if she could not endure them, she would die trying to.

The whistle blew, and she ran into the course. The first thing to do was a rock climbing wall without rope. She had to pick a good course up the rock. She didn't even look at the wall before she started to climb. She was soon at the top, and everyone was staring at her. The next thing was a bed of hot rocks that were able to burn her clothes. She walked across, and didn't even notice until after the course that her shoes were burned off. Then she had to swim upstream in the river, which would cool off her feet. She dived into the waters and swam halfway up before she surfaced. She swam the rest of the way, and grabbed the rope hanging from a tree.

She climbed to the branch and ran through the trees. She jumped down at the right marker, and found herself surrounded by twenty Orcs, dummies of course. She took them all out with her bare hands, not wanting to waste time with drawing and sheathing her sword. The next obstacle was to go over a thin rope no wider than a boot lace. She ran across, for her favorite thing was next. She had to find her way down a steep hill, without dashing herself to death on the sharp rocks at the bottom. She did that, only to find that she would have to go through them to get to the last obstacle. In between the rocks were smaller rocks with very jagged ends. She walked across, but it felt as if she were walking on broken glass.

Elandili then saw that the last obstacle was much harder than any of the others, and she sighed. She would have to retrieve a gold crown that was guarded by a Dragon dummy. She would have to kill the dummy first, so she tried to find a weak spot. She saw that there was a bare patch on its chest, right over where the heart was. Now if she could just get to that spot without getting turned into charcoal...finally! She saw the opening and drew her dagger, the only thing that would truly kill the dummy.

The only problem was that when the dagger was used, the creator suffered the victim's pain. There was no choice. She drove the dagger in to the hilt, piercing the dummy's heart. She nearly screamed with the pain, but then the pain was over, and she was crushed as the dummy fell on top of her. She struggled to get free, and finally stood up. She grabbed the crown, which set off an avalanche of rocks and boulders. Running for the dummy's arm, she used it to shield her from the flying rocks. Finally, she climbed to the top where the judges were waiting.

She could see their faces, but they gave away nothing. She waited while they made their decision, and then snapped to attention as they turned to face her. "Do you pledge your life, loyalty, and bow to the service of Elrond for as long as you live?" Elandili gave the traditional response, and then she was bid to rise. "Let me be the first to congratulate you on your success, Elandili.", said Elrond. She smiled at him, and the others crowded around her. She took their complements with modesty and gratitude, but she soon slipped away.


	12. Chapter 12

Elandili's Story

by: Kristall

A/N: LOTR belongs to J.R.R. Tolkien. Linolas and Elandili are mine, but that's 'cause I came up with 'em, and the story idea. Hope you all enjoy!

Chapter 12: Hostility

Elandili knew that she would have to face the Elites, but she didn't want to right now. She went around the corner, and saw two of them waiting for her. This was not going to be pretty. She took a step forward, and that was when the tongue lashing started. She kept on walking, but a glint formed in her eye, and as she got to the two Elves, her hand shot out to the right. The guy staggered and fell, his face turning an angry red. She whirled around and struck the other one. He fell back, and she simply said: "Oh I'm sorry, but you really should watch where you're going." She continued walking, leaving the two Elves in shock.

Elandili went out on a mission to Gondor shortly after that, or at least that was what she said. In reality, she had found out that she was with child, and did not want her father to find out. She traveled with Legolas, and he made sure that she was fine. They went to her old home, and found that it had been abandoned. She sighed as she went in. This was where her child should be born.

They stayed there for several months, and Legolas was out getting wood when Elandili hissed. She was starting to go into labor, and she called for Legolas to come in. He called for a woman from the next house and went inside. He saw what was happening and laid her on the bed. He held her as she writhed in pain. A midwife came in, and she saw that the contractions were coming even closer together. She gave told Elandili to try to relax as much as she could, and checked the progress of the birth.

It was an hour later when the baby was laid in Elandili's arms. The midwife was astounded to see that they were Elves, but she was more honored than scared. "I never thought that I would do a delivery for an Elf, but now I have. Was it the first child?" Elandili nodded, and the midwife smiled. She left the two together, but had one last question. "Why did you come here? No one's lived in it for nearly two hundred years, ever since the last owner, a woman, and her only daughter left. Why did you come here to have your child?"

It was Elandili who replied. "Was the owner's name Miriel?" The midwife nodded. "Then I can tell you who she was. She was my mother, and close to her death when we left. I was born in this house, and I thought it would be a fitting place to have my first child." The midwife agreed, said good bye and left.

The two Elves returned soon after the birth to Rivendell. Elrohir came out to greet them, but stopped short when he saw the bundle in his daughter's arms. "What, for the love of Elbereth, is in your arms Elandili?" She showed him, and Elrohir sat down on the steps, hard. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"Father, I didn't want for you to be mad at the father of my son. Had I known that you wanted to know, I would have told you. But I went to Gondor, so that the others wouldn't see me while I was with child. Can you understand why I did what I did?" Elrohir nodded and asked for the child's name. "His name is Linolas, father." Elrohir hugged his daughter, and then they went into the house to find Elladan, as Elrond was out listening to some reports from the other Firsts.

0o0o0

Linolas was several years old before he met Elrond. During those years, he had been in Mirkwood, at the request of his mother. He had grown into a handsome, but serious little boy with dark hair, and grey-green eyes. Elrond took one look at the child, and sighed. "Elandili, how long have you been hiding this child from me? You know I don't bite."

"I am sorry, grandfather, but I didn't want for you to be mad about his father, which is why he has lived in Mirkwood for the past six years."

"And who is the father?" Elandili told him, and she saw the look on Elrond's face. She knew that he was thinking of when her father had run off and the circumstances that had lead to her birth. Quietly, she picked up her child and excused herself.


	13. Chapter 13

Elandili's Story

by: Kristall

A/N: I love LOTR (and Leggy), but neither one of 'em is mine. I hope you're enjoying the story, but I'm running out of disclaimers. I have decided to do double posts from now on, since the chapters tend to be so short. Here you go!

Chapter 13: Yearning

When Linolas was ten, Elandili decided to move to Mirkwood for a while and get him settled there. She would stay with him for a few months, and then she planned to return to Rivendell. She spent the days with Legolas and Linolas, watching her son grow into a fully grown Elf lord. It was only when she saw her son grown up that she realized that "a while" had lasted longer than she thought it would, it was twenty years since she had moved to Mirkwood.

_So much for a few months here, _thought Elandili. _How did the years go by so quickly?_ She knew that her father had visited her to see how she was doing, but Elandili hadn't realized that she didn't want to go back. She knew she had to though, and one fine day in the summer, she said goodbye to Linolas and Legolas, jumped to her horse, and rode off to Rivendell.

Elandili was welcomed back with the ceremony due any Elite, but the other Elites were not happy to see her back. She could feel their resentment, but she ignored it. Unfortunately, this made her seem cold, for she would not respond to the Elites unless she was required to. She didn't get along with them very well, and the others decided that she was like this because she had fallen in love with one of the Elves of Mirkwood.

Of course they didn't realize that it was really because Elandili was hardening herself against the pain and anger building up inside her. Elandili had learned how to hide her true feelings well, too well for her own good. Her only satisfaction was that she was the one sent out on extremely dangerous missions, not those big, strong men.

What Elandili most enjoyed was going on what the others called suicide missions (she called them vacations), simply because she always made it back to Rivendell alive and unscathed. She especially liked to kill real Dragons, and one day she came back driving a small cart. The Elves were not very interested, until they saw what was in the back of the cart: Dragon hide. She had killed a Dragon, and gone on to skin it and bring back the skin as proof.

Elandili went out on several more missions, and yet she never heard a word of thanks from her peers, nor did she get any recognition. She was furious, but still she knew the underlying problem. The Elites could not accept her as one of them. Well, if they could not do it on their own, then she would win it from them.

Elandili did everything the Elites asked of her, save for when she didn't feel like it. The only Elf that she would obey without question was Elrond. All of the others didn't mind, perhaps Elrond would command her to take her place with the girls. But Elrond never did, and it only made the Elites more resentful towards Elandili.

0o0o0

It was the year twenty nine thirty three in Gondor when Mithrandir came riding up to Rivendell. Elandili came out to greet him, and she gave him a smile, which was now a rare occurrence. But before she could put away his horse, he motioned for her to wait. She looked at him, and he asked her if she remembered the vision she had had so many years ago. "You know, the one about a hidden line and a new heir?"

"Yes, I remember that. Why?" She looked at his face and whispered in horror: "Has it come true?" Mithrandir nodded. He did not need to tell her what had happened, only what was to come.

"The child's mother is coming here with him and your kin. The other Men have decided to go to Gondor to give the alarm. You will have to watch over the child and his mother, for they need someone who is familiar with both Gondor's and Rivendell's customs. And the child is the heir of Isildur."

"I understand. I will watch for these two, and when they come, I will do my best to make them feel at home. But my duties will make it hard. Should I send for Linolas? He is as familiar as I am with the customs of Gondor and Rivendell, and he will not have so much work to do, as he decided not to become an Elite, although I can't imagine why."

Mithrandir chuckled and said: "A good idea. Send for him as quickly as you can, for the heir will be arriving soon. And having Legolas will ease your own pain." Elandili looked at him sharply, wondering how he could tell that the comments of the other Elites was causing her pain. "You have changed much child. I have not seen you like this since your dear mother died. Where is that happy child of three, playing with the children in Minas Anor?"

"She has left to be with her mother, so that she will be happy forever."

"Is it that she has left completely, or has she been buried too deeply for you to find her? Something is missing from your heart, and I believe that the child is not a part of it. You are missing love, the love that was stolen from you when you were four. Until you find another who will give you their love, you will always be like this."

Elandili grew angry at this, and she turned on the one who was once her friend. "I need no one in my life. I am strong enough to take care of myself, and I do have a whole life. I am not living with only half of myself. I have always been happy, and I am happy now." With those angry words, she turned away.

"So you say.", murmured Mithrandir. "But look a little closer to your heart. The break may be hard to find, but it is there, and it has almost cut your heart in two. The jibes from your peers though, they have no trouble in finding that break, and slipping in to cause even more pain." He looked sadly at her back, and then rode away into the gathering dusk.

Elandili resented his words, all the more so because they were true. She had been searching for someone to give her peace, someone who could lessen the pain she felt. She decided to send a letter to Mirkwood, and ask Legolas if he would come for a few days at least. She would also request that Linolas come to Rivendell for a while, so that she could spend some more time with him.

She sent the letter the next day, carried by a bird. She had a way with birds, caring for them when they were hurt or hungry or cold, and as a result they would fly messages for her to Mirkwood and to Lorien, where Arwen had gone to stay several years before.


	14. Chapter 14

Elandili's Story

by: Kristall

A/N: Who knows who Estel learned all of his stuff from? I don't own LOTR any more than I own Star Wars (which means I don't). Enjoy this part.

Chapter 14: Estel

A reply came back a few days later, saying that both Legolas and Linolas would be there before long. They showed up the day after that, and Elandili felt her heart soften at the sight of Legolas. She showed them to their chambers, not far from her own. They thanked her, and seemed happy, but inside Legolas was troubled. He could see the pain in Elandili's eyes, hear the hurt in her voice. But he was the only one who knew her well enough, and was with her often enough, to do so.

Legolas went with Elandili to the training arena one day, about a week before Aragorn arrived in Rivendell. He watched with pride as she practiced with her trainer to perfect a move that would easily disarm an opponent. Then he realized that he wasn't the only one watching her. He heard a snicker behind him, and listened to what the others were saying.

He had to strain to hear the whispers over all of the clashes in the area, but he finally heard the whispers of the other Elves. "I don't get it. Why did they let the half-Elf become an Elite? She belongs with the women, not us warriors."

"Why do you think that she is sent out on all of those missions. She's crazy enough to do 'em, and it's possible that she won't come back one day. That will be a happy day for a lot of us."

A third Elite spoke up. "Yeah, I know, but until that happens, we're stuck with her being an Elite. I wish Elrond would ask her to step down, but I'm not gonna mention it to him. He has always supported Elandili, and her father too."

Legolas was shocked to hear this, but he held his temper in check. The last thing Elandili needed to have to deal with was the Elites teasing her about a lover, especially one from Mirkwood. It was bad enough that she was thought to be in love with someone from Mirkwood, but if there was someone in love with her, it would be the end of any peace for her.

Later Legolas saw Elandili heading away from the arena. He stopped her and told her about what he had heard. To his surprise, she just merely shrugged. "I get that all the time here.", she said in a voice completely devoid of emotion. "I'm used to it." Then she went into the house. Legolas shook his head. She had changed so much since she had left Mirkwood when their son had turned thirty. This had to stop.

Legolas went in search of Elrond, and found him alone in the library. They looked up as he came in and Elrond acknowledged Legolas' bow. "What can we do for you, Legolas?", he asked in Elvish.

"My lord, I would like to know if the Elites' treatment of Elandili is known to you."

"It is. My sons also know of it. Why?"

"This afternoon, when she was practicing, I overheard some of the Elites talking about her. But when I asked Elandili about it, she said that she got it all the time here, and that she was used to it. I do not doubt her word, but her voice as she said it...it was as if she were a complete stranger to me. I worry about what damage is being done to her."

"What do you mean by damage?", he asked. "She seems to be perfectly fine to me, and to all of us."

"You have lived with her as the change came around, slowly but surely. I have not seen her for over five hundred years, since her last visit, and yet it might as well have been that I had never met her, she is so changed from the Lady that I once knew."

"Your report is appreciated, but I doubt that there will be much that we can do to change the current situation." Elrond held up a hand as Legolas started to protest. "Until the Elites accept Elandili as one of their own, their attitudes towards her will remain unchanged, no matter what we do."

0o0o0

Elandili kept watch when ever she could, for she knew that her father would be coming with his brother, Gilraen, and Aragorn would be arriving any time now. But she could not ignore her duties as an Elite. When she had to be somewhere else, Linolas would watch the entrance for her. He had promised that he would come and get his mother if they showed up.

Sure enough, Elandili was talking with Legolas as she went away from the arena when Linolas ran up to them. "Mother, they're here. I came as soon as I could." Elandili ran for the entrance, Linolas a few paces behind her. She found that he had exaggerated a bit, Elrohir was just dismounting as she ran up.

Elandili hugged Elrohir and said: "I'm glad you're back safe and sound." She turned to see that Elladan had just dismounted, and that there was a Lady sitting on Elrohir's horse, holding a small child to her. She looked scared, afraid for her child and herself. Elandili smiled and offered to hold the child while she dismounted.

Gilraen passed Aragorn to Elandili, who held him so that he could watch his mother dismount and come to take him back. Gilraen thanked Elandili, and asked if she knew where their rooms were. Elandili looked at Elrohir, who nodded. "Come your rooms are this way. Would the young lad like to walk?"

Before Gilraen could answer, Aragorn said: "I wanna walk. Please mommy, can I walk to the rooms?" Gilraen smiled and set Aragorn down. Just as she did so, they all heard footsteps. Elandili was instantly alert, her hand on her sword hilt. She relaxed as Elrond came into the hall and greeted the two newcomers.

"I have assigned Elandili to you for a few days. She will be your guide and companion, until you feel you know the way around. She will also guard your steps, for the danger is still near. You know that, correct?"

"Yes, I do know that the danger is not yet over. I was going to ask you for a protector, but you seem to have thought of everything. Do you have any recommendations, any precautions you wish to take for now?"

"Yes. I have agreed to take your son as a foster son of my own, but his true name should be hidden. He needs to have another name, until he is able to protect himself. What would you suggest?"

"He is the hope of the world, the hope of the freedom of Middle-earth. He shall be called Estel, for it is what he brings to all who hope for an end to evil." Elandili looked at the child, who was seriously studying her. She smiled at him, and their friendship began at that moment, lasting until the end of Estel's life.

A/N: ANND enter Aragorn! Tell me what you guys think! Please?


	15. Chapter 15

Elandili's Story

by: Kristall

A/N: I do not own LOTR, or anything to do with it, except for this story and all of the new characters (the ones not in the books).

Chapter 15: Discovery

Elandili watched as the ten year old child tried out a bunch of children's swords. Gilraen had demanded that Elandili be the one to train her child to fight with the sword and bow. _Obviously, Gilraen has been watching me as I train_, thought Elandili. _Still, it is an honor to be thought good enough to train the heir to the throne of Gondor_. She grinned as Estel swung the sword around in a clumsy circle. He was not very good now, but when she finished with him, he would be the best among Men. She was one of the best in the world, with several centuries of learning behind her.

Estel finally found a sword that was well suited to his arm strength, and she asked to see the blade. He handed it to her, his nervousness showing as he watched her reaction. She examined the style, and swung the blade in a few figure eights through the air. She looked at the hilt, and swung it so that she could see if it would fall apart, for the blade was old. But the blade had been well forged, and she handed it back to Estel with one of her rare smiles.

"You chose a good blade. The craftsmanship is superior, and it will take a hard blow to break it." Estel smiled back, proud that she would praise him. She had been teaching the theory behind using a sword, usually a boring time, but Elandili had made it interesting. Now came the exciting part. He would actually get to learn how to fight with a sword and kill all those mean Orcs.

Elandili showed him how to block an attack, always forming an X with his opponent's blade. She then called Legolas over, and they gave Estel a short demonstration of what Elandili meant. Estel nodded his understanding, and stood up. Legolas went back to his seat, and watched as Elandili gave Estel his first sword fight.

She made the blows light, and easy to block. Pleased with how he did, she told him that they would practice the same sequence a few more times, and then they would get faster. By the end of the afternoon, Estel had learned how to block quick attacks, but he was still not used to fighting in a real battle. Elandili was pleased with his progress, and told him that they would start to learn how to forge weapons the next day.

Gilraen asked if it were truly necessary for her son to learn how to make as well as use weapons, and Elandili explained. "While he learns to make weapons, he will learn to identify good craftsmanship, as well as picking up a skill that could come in handy, if he needs to be somewhere without arousing suspicion. He will do great deeds before he goes to his rest. Besides, I'm just teaching him what I know about fighting and weapons. I know how to make 'em, so he's gonna learn how to make 'em too."

"Well, if you think that it will do him good, I will let you teach him this. How was he with the sword?" Elandili and Gilraen chatted together for a while, and then it was time for Estel to go to bed. He went to bed reluctantly, but he knew that he would have to get up earlier than usual tomorrow.

The light from the rising sun touched Estel's face, and he woke at once. He climbed out of bed and got dressed, trying not to wake his mother. He quietly left his room, and went to the kitchens for some breakfast. He stopped in the doorway though as he caught sight of Elandili and Legolas. They were smiling at each other, and yet Estel could sense some deeper attachment than friendship could account for. Legolas kissed Elandili's cheek, and Estel finally came in the room. "What was that about?", he asked the two Elves.

"You saw that, did you? Well…um, Elandili do you want to tell him or should I?"

"I'll tell him. You get out of here." Legolas left, grinning to himself, and Elandili motioned for Estel to sit next to her. "Legolas and I have an emotional attachment. We love each other, but not everyone knows about it. Will you promise not to tell anyone what you saw?"

"Ok. I won't tell, as long as we go to the smithy right after breakfast. But, if I may, how long have you two been together?"

Elandili had to think. "Let's see, I was about two hundred when I fell in love with him, and I'm almost one and a half thousand years old now, so I guess it would be about one thousand and two hundred years now that we've been together." She grinned at Estel's reaction to those figures.

"You only seem about twenty five to me. How could you be so old, and still be so young?"

"It is the way of the Elves. I am not sure why myself, but it's the way it is. The Valar control many things, and only they know why Elves live so long and still remain young. You must remember, my father and his brother are nearly three thousand years old, and yet they still lead active lives." Elandili paused for a moment. "I just remembered that I was to go to Mirkwood today with Legolas, for a little while. We will have to postpone the smithy lessons until I get back. Can you accept my profound apologies?"

"Yeah, I know how easy it is to forget things. But you promise to come back soon right?"

"I promise." With that Elandili left the room to get her things together.

0o0o0

The two Elves set out at about the same time Bilbo and the Dwarves set out from the Shire. They had to hurry through the mountains, for the Orcs were multiplying in the mountain tunnels. They rested for a night before the snow covered mountains, and spent the next day going through a narrow valley.

They passed through the mountains without incident, and reached the forest on the tenth day after they left Rivendell. There, they were welcomed by sentries and Linolas, who had gone back to Mirkwood nine years before. He had lived in Mirkwood for nearly all of his life, and he went back to it as often as he could.

0o0o0

After they had been in Mirkwood for a while, news came of thirteen Dwarves who were traveling through the forest. The King of Mirkwood was not happy about this, and he gave orders that the travelers be watched. It was not long before the Dwarves were taken into custody.

Elandili was in the great hall when twelve of the Dwarves were brought in. She listened to their answers, and knew that they were not telling the King everything they knew, which was wise. She was a good judge of character, and she could tell that they had been in the company of Mithrandir.

The King of Mirkwood ordered that the Dwarves be put into separate cells, so that they could not communicate with each other. He also didn't tell them that Thorin was his prisoner as well. Elandili took charge of one of the Dwarves, who was very sullen and kept on murmuring that "If any of you harm a hair on my brother Fili's head, I'll get you for it." He also demanded that he be allowed to walk, and was surprised when Elandili did let him walk, once they were out of sight of the King.

"Listen to me, Kili. I know you're not happy about this. I'm not either. But if you play along, I'll see what I can do to get you guys out of here."

"Why should an Elf do that for us?"

"Because Mithrandir, that is Gandalf, is a friend of mine, and I can tell that he has had some part in your journey. That alone would make me ask for your release, but I know Thorin's family history, and I approve of those who will fight for what is rightfully theirs."

They went on in silence, Kili realizing that she would not betray them, even if she knew of their quest, which she already did. He decided that he could trust her. "We have a friend that has been helping us. Could you try to find him, and see if he's all right? He will need to have food and drink."

"I will look after him as best as I may. If I find your little friend, I will try to make sure that the others don't find him." They came to the cell, and Kili was lightly pushed inside. "Listen Dwarf, if you tell us what you want to know, all of you can go free. Until then,", she said, lowering her voice and giving Kili a wink, "you will have to stay here, and I will have to slip some treats into your suppers." Kili winked to show that he understood her sudden mood change, and she shut the door.

A/N: We're now into "The Hobbit"! This story is nearly done, but there's more to come after!


	16. Chapter 16

Elandili's Story

by: Kristall

A/N: The disclaimer for this can be found in part 12, as I have almost run out of ways to say that I don't own LOTR.

Chapter 16: Bilbo

A week went by rather quickly. Elandili was busy, slipping treats into the baskets that held the food for the Dwarves, all thirteen of them. She also left some food out where it would be found by the little Hobbit, so that he would not go hungry. She was getting the food ready one day when she saw a slice of meat sliding across the table. She pretended not to see it, and went to the end of the table.

A chair was drawn up to the table, and she could see that something was in it. Grinning, she picked up the meat and held it out. "If you want it, you can have it, but first you must show yourself." She saw a flask of wine quickly slide off of the table, and hurry out the door. Elandili followed it, until the flask disappeared into a dark corner.

"Come on, I know you're in there. Show yourself, or you might end up in front of the King." At that, the Hobbit flickered into view. "Well that is much better. If I may, who do I have the pleasure of addressing?"

"I am Bilbo Baggins, of the Shire. I have traveled with these Dwarves, and I am trying to think of a way to get out, with the Dwarves. We .."

Bilbo trailed off before he told Elandili about the quest, and she laughed. "I know what you were doing in Mirkwood. Gandalf is a friend of mine, and he managed to get word to me that I was to keep all of you in as much comfort as I could."

They became friends after that, and close to the autumn celebration, she suggested that Bilbo could go out by the trapdoors into the river. She meant it as a joke, never thinking that Bilbo would take it seriously.

0o0o0

Then came a day when Bilbo and the Dwarves disappeared. Elandili was put to the test on how well she could mask amusement with false anger. She realized that Bilbo had taken her seriously, and had escaped by the river. With the Dwarves as well! It was all she could do to hold in her laughter as she watched the King search futilely for the escaped prisoners.

She let Legolas in on the secret when he asked her what was so funny, after swearing him to secrecy. He laughed, and now he understood why the King seemed so silly. Finally, they got word from the raft men that the Dwarves had arrived in the Lake Town.

The King sent out spies to watch the movements of the Dwarves, and he asked Elandili to go to the town as one of the race of Men. "You know how to get around, and you'll be able to keep an eye on the Dwarves without them recognizing you." Elandili agreed to go to the town, and she was there two days after the Dwarves arrived in the town.


	17. Chapter 17

Elandili's Story

by: Kristall

A/N: The disclaimer for this can be found in part 10, as I have almost run out of ways to say that I don't own LOTR.

Chapter 17: Before the Storm

It was a fortnight later when the Dwarves left to go to the mountain. Elandili was aware of this, and she quickly returned to the King's halls in Mirkwood. She was shown to the King, who asked her to tell him what had happened. "Sire, the Dwarves are moving to the Lonely Mountain. They left by boat going north, so it will take them about two or three days to get to where they will have to go by foot. That will take no more than five days, and then they will be at the mountain, to do what they can against the Dragon. I would have killed it before now, but it is not wise to disrupt a Dwarf's revenge."

"So you believe that this Thorin is really a descendant of the last King under the Mountain, Thror?"

"Sire, I know that it is true. Mithrandir spoke to me, saying that I should not try to hinder the Dwarves in their quest any more than I had to under your orders."

"Was it you who let them go?"

"No. That deed was accomplished by the Halfling that was traveling with them. I found him one day, and he became my friend. But I did suggest going out the trapdoor to the river. I never thought that he would actually do it."

The King stared at her and burst out laughing. "Well now that we have that mystery solved, what do you propose we do next?"

Elandili made no reply. She sank down to her knees, and started to mutter. Her body shook, swept up in the vision she was having. "We attack the Dwarves with the Men. More Dwarves are coming. But we are united as an army of Wolves and Orcs come to fight. The armies clash together, but the end is uncertain."

Elandili blinked. She was used to her visions by now, but she hated them. She was always half blind for a few moments when they ended, and she didn't like being unable to see clearly. It made her feel like a Mortal. Still they could be useful. But she had started to have visions of attacks by a shadow. She would have to ask Mithrandir about that. "I am sorry. I think that we should wait, until we have news that either Smaug or the Dwarves have met their fate, and are dead. Then we should send out warriors, spearmen and bowmen, to see if the Lake-men need help, and to see if we could possibly get a share of the treasure from the Dwarves, for I can see that that is what you have in your mind."

0o0o0

They waited, receiving snippets of information from birds and the spies. It was a while though before an old thrush brought them news of Smaug's death. Elandili had the ability to understand the old, long lived thrushes, and she was glad to be able to deliver the news. "I think that after this is over, I'll fetch that Dragon and skin it. I could use some Dragon hide.", she told Legolas as they got ready to march.

"Well, if you can cut through it, I suppose that there won't be any harm in doing so. But why on earth would you want Dragon hide?"

"A decent pair of boots."

"Anything else?"

"Maybe a good sheath for my sword, but I could come up with several other ideas when the necessity arose." Legolas grinned at this, and went to collect his weapons. Elandili quickly slipped a mithril coat on underneath her jacket , and then she quickly put on some warm clothes. Then she finished getting ready.

(A/N: Elandili never did go to get the dragon hide, and so she still needed a decent pair of boots. She decided to get them in Rivendell, where she had some dragon hide left over from other projects.)

She pulled on her leather jerkin, and hung her swords at her side. She carried two, so that if one

broke, she would not be weaponless. But she could also fight with two swords if she wanted. Then she fastened arm, wrist, and shin guards to herself. Her dagger that she usually wore on her left forearm was hung at her back, to be used when she had nothing else to fight with. She slung a quiver of arrows on her back, a spear attached to the quiver strap. Finally, she went to the armory and found a stylish helmet. She put it on, and then went to find Legolas.

Legolas was with his father at the main entrance, waiting for her to show up. They looked at her, suppressing their smiles as they did so. It didn't matter what she wore, whether it be formal gowns or even chain mail, she knew how to make it look good on her without losing any of her obvious authority.

They set out for the mountain, but ran into some of the Lake-men who begged for them to come and help to rebuild the city. So the warriors turned aside and went to the aid of Lake Town. They stayed there for a little while, so that plans could be made, and then a major part of the Elven company, along with some of the Men, went on to the mountain. They were in the desolation beyond the lake before twelve days had passed since the destruction of Lake Town.

Elandili had not told the King of everything that she had seen though. She knew that a wall of stone would be guarding the entrance, and that Thorin would not welcome them. She knew that there would big a battle. But who would win? She could not get that image of a wolf attacking Legolas out of her mind. She felt as if she were going crazy, because she knew her visions always came true, down to the last thread rip.

She was not surprised to hear that Thorin would not give out any gold under the threat of force. She had long studied the Dwarves, mostly at Mithrandir's insistence, though Thorin's history had interested her. She liked honorable people, and would support any race, except for Orcs, if they were trying to get revenge for family honor.

One thing though, she could not understand why the Men and Elves insisted on staying where they would never get anything done. Also, if Wolves and Orcs didn't attack them now, they would attack sometime later.

Several days passed, with no sign of the siege ending. But one night, Bilbo snuck out of the mountain, with the means to end the debate on him. She heard him climb up out of the water, and decided to follow. She heard everything, and even caught a glimpse of the Arkenstone of Thrain. She smiled to herself, and quickly went to ensure her place in the escort. She gave Bilbo a wink as he said goodbye, and then he was gone. Elandili hurried back to the camp. She wanted a chance to talk to Mithrandir, but Legolas claimed her for the night. Grinning ruefully at his father and Bard, she went with him to his tent, and they slept side by side.

Elandili woke up early the next day, just as the sun was rising. It was uncomfortable, sleeping in her clothes, but she could not let anyone see the mithril coat that she wore, not even Legolas. She was at the gate when Bard revealed the Arkenstone, and his reaction was just as she had feared. If he held out like this, they would be out here for years.

A/N: The last chapter was so short, I'm going to go ahead and post the next one as well. Thank you to all of my wonderful readers and reviewers, you guys are the best!


	18. Chapter 18

Elandili's Story

by: Kristall

A/N: This is the last part. I hope you have enjoyed this, and please note that I still don't own LOTR.

Chapter 18: The Battle of the Five Armies

Dwarves who had been traveling to help Thorin came to the camp shortly after this, but as the two sides were about to fight, Orcs, Wargs, and wolves came out of nowhere. Quick plans were laid out, and soon Elandili was standing by Legolas, ready to charge when the enemy was in the valley. Elandili's swords were both drawn, and her strokes were so deadly that no wolf or Orc lived after a single blow from her. She didn't care about any danger; she was intent on destroying her enemies and protecting those she loved.

The rest of the hosts soon joined the battle, and she was too involved to think, until she saw a wolf attack Legolas. She screamed his name, and fought to reach his side. She cut down the wolf, and saw that he was wounded. She looked around grimly, and saw an Orc blade. She gave a quick swipe with her sword, and the Orc was missing its head. She quickly threw one of her blades into the ground, and looked for the next attack. Just because she could fight with two swords didn't mean that it was a wise thing to do.

Things seemed to move in slow motion for her, she was fighting so fast. Then she felt a jolt as something slammed into her. Looking down, she saw an arrow sticking out from her side. She ripped it free, and spun to cut down a Warg. She suddenly realized that no one was attacking her anymore. She half-dragged, half-helped Legolas to his feet. He was looking at her, and she saw the arrows sticking out from her front. She ripped them free, but Legolas had not been the only Elf to see her.

She got Legolas back to the camp, and started to treat his wounds. He pulled the arrows that she had missed out for her, and she felt a hand on her shoulder. She spun around, and saw that Elrohir was there. "How you ever managed to survive the arrows of those accursed Orcs, I will never guess, but there is still a battle that needs you. Come."

Elandili looked at Legolas, and he nodded. "Go Elandili, I will wait for you. Do not worry about me."

They ran back to the battle, and managed to fight their way to the Elven king of Mirkwood. There was a lull where he stood, and Elandili quickly told him that Legolas was resting back in the camp. He nodded, and just as all hope seemed to fade, Elandili heard Bilbo's voice. "The Eagles! The Eagles! The Eagles are coming! The Eagles!" Then great Eagles had come out of the sky, throwing the Orcs down from the walls of the mountain.

But things were still going badly when Beorn, who had given shelter to the Dwarves before they had entered Mirkwood, came in his bear shape. He had rescued Thorin, and charged back into the fray. He crushed the Orc king, and with that new hope flooded the hearts of the Men, Elves, and Dwarves.

They finally won the fight, and as Elandili trudged back to the camp, she saw Thorin being carried back to the tent next to the one where she had left Legolas. She ran to check on Legolas, who was asleep. Smiling in relief, she went to see Thorin, and ask if she could have a word with him.

Thorin was willing to see her, but he couldn't figure out why she wanted to see him. She came to his bed and knelt down beside it. Before she settled though, she leaned over and kissed his forehead. "I am sorry, that one so valiant and brave should be lying here like this. I just want you to know that your quest succeeded, and that I am in need of your forgiveness. I hope that you enjoyed the wine that I slipped to you in Mirkwood, but I should have gone with you when you left the city."

"No, you would not have changed the outcome of this fight. I do forgive you for aiding in our imprisonment in Mirkwood, and I thank you for the wine you gave." Elandili thanked him, and left the tent to look for Bilbo, at Thorin's request.

0o0o0

It was a long time before Elandili went back to Mirkwood. Legolas was now walking easily, and she went back to Mirkwood, planning to return home with Elrohir when he left. She saw the parting of Bilbo and the King, and Bilbo caught her eye. She blew him a kiss, and smiled. Before they had broken up camp, she had said that she would drop by to visit, and he rather liked her.

Elandili stayed in Mirkwood for a few more days, and then left for Rivendell. She longed to see the peaceful halls, and for once, she didn't want to fight. Her son came with her, so that he could help teach Estel how to forge weapons. He was a master craftsman by now, and Elandili thought it would be better for him to teach Estel. Estel finished his education quickly, and left when he was twenty, after having been told of his true heritage.

Elandili settled in again, but she was still cold to all of the Elf men who were Elites. They still would not accept her, even though stories were told of her bravery in battle, how she didn't even stop when pierced by several arrows. She had all of the arrows that she and Legolas had pulled free in her quiver, which now hung on a wall. There were over twenty arrows.

0o0o0

This went on for several years, with occasional visits to the Shire for distraction, but then the power of Mordor grew strong again. Sentries were posted, and Elandili asked, or rather begged to be allowed to go to the border post nearest Mordor. "You have to have someone there, and no one else wants to go. Please, Elrond, send me." Elrond consented, and Elandili was at the border post in just over a week, while her son was to the south of Rivendell, close to where his parents had met for the first time.

To be continued in The Tenth Companion…


End file.
